I’ll admit it. I’m a self-confessed coffee snob! I trawl the internet for bags of magic coffee beans. I sniff through flavour profiles like a pig searching for truffle. And I cringe when I’m reduced to drinking instant coffee. So, the moment Harvey Norman asked me if I wanted to trial the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Fully Automatic Coffee Machine, there was never any doubt that I was going to emphatically say yes.
But can I let you in on a little secret? I’m also a bit of an imposter within the caffeine community. Although I own and operate a manual coffee machine and give off the aroma of a coffee connoisseur, I’m probably one of the most uneducated experts out there. I can’t differentiate between a Cappuccino and Latte. Have burnt myself frothing milk in metal jugs too many times to mention. And spend more nights grinding my teeth than understanding coffee bean grind size. Believe me when I say, I was hoping the DeLonghi Eletta Explore cappuccino machine would be easy to use.
The good news is it certainly was. It’s intuitive, with no barista expertise required! Yet, it’s super innovative as well.
If you’re looking to create an array of delicious hot and cold beverages at home, then read on for my full DeLonghi Eletta Explore review.
DeLonghi Coffee Machine review: Two milk carafes, endless possibilities
As I unpacked the box for the DeLonghi Eletta Explore, my manual coffee machine looked on with fear. The silver beast once taking prime position on my bench was being usurped by a sleek machine with a box full of accessories. Those accessories included a hot water spout, cleaning brush and ice cube tray (more on that later).
I rummaged through the box searching for a metal milk frothing jug. Much to my surprise, I instead found two milk carafes: the LatteCrema Hot and the LatteCrema Cool.
After checking out the helpful manuals and DeLonghi’s YouTube videos, I discovered the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Coffee Machine can create warm, frothy milk along with cool milk foam for an array of coffee options. The carafes feature a dial on their lid that adjusts milk froth levels and commences a cleaning phase.
I was frothing over the possibility of a hot or cool coffee!
Enjoy a DeLonghi Eletta Explore Cappuccino
Saturday morning rolled around, and I was keen for a piping hot coffee. I filled up the water tank of the DeLonghi Eletta Explore to the max – it slid in and out smoothly from its compact position. Then I poured beans into the grinder. Thanks to the machine’s versatile set up, there is also a funnel for pre-ground coffee.
The DeLonghi Eletta Explore greeted me with a whirl and purr as it turned on. Its appealing touchscreen lit up with a useful alert that it was warming up as it began its automated preheat and rinse cycle. I selected ‘hot’ on the soft touch panel and was amazed by the myriad of choices: Flat White, Cortado, Espresso, hot milk and more. No need to be an expert or trained barista to know the nuances of how to make each drink!
I wanted to see how the DeLonghi Eletta Explore made a Cappuccino. In my excitement, I set up my cup, selected the Cappuccino touchscreen icon and then…. nothing. I had completely forgotten about the milk! A friendly onscreen alert reminded me to attach the milk carafe. I poured a generous amount of oat milk into the LatteCrema Hot carafe and then easily clicked it into place. As per the touchscreen’s instructions I adjusted the carafe’s dial to the maximum froth position.
Instantly the machine chugged along and began frothing and dispensing milk into my cup. I was amazed by the hands-free frothing wonder – no more milk jug burns for me! A few clicks later and a heady caramel aroma hit me as the machine began grinding, brewing and dispensing coffee. Text appeared onscreen detailing each step and suddenly I had a hot, frothy coffee warming my hands.
Now for the taste test: DeLonghi’s micro-foam frothing technology created an airy and creamy milk consistency that paired perfectly with the rich, medium roasted beans.
How to use the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Coffee Machine to make an ice, ice coffee
Later that afternoon, a breeze wafted the coffee bean aroma my way, tantalising me with another caffeine creation. I wanted to experiment with DeLonghi Eletta Explore’s LatteCrema Cool system. I’m so accustomed to burning myself with hot milk, steam, or coffee that I couldn’t imagine anything even relatively cool coming out of a coffee machine.
However, with the LatteCrema Cool milk foam technology, cold plant based, or skimmed milk can be textured at 20°C for a refreshing caffeine hit. I scrolled through the menu’s cold options including Cappuccino, Americano, Flat White, and decided upon a Caffelatte. It was then as simple as selecting the LatteCrema Cool milk carafe, filling it with oat milk, and clicking it into place. I then followed the onscreen instructions, such as adding ice – lucky for that included ice cube tray! Quickly and effortlessly the machine prepared the milk, ground, brewed and dispensed the coffee. After one sip of this Caffelatte I was sold! The drink was refreshing thanks to the gently heated froth, and I was pleasantly surprised by the velvety milk and luscious coffee.
Cleaning the DeLonghi Eletta Explore
In my past eagerness for a hot coffee, I’ve neglected to properly clean the steam wand on my manual machine. This left it clogged and compromised the quality of my next coffee. Luckily, with the automatic rinse cycles and easy clean of the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Coffee Machine, tedious maintenance has been taken care of!
Truly, I was super impressed by how easy this machine was to clean. When milk frothing finished a message appeared onscreen with the option to clean the carafe. With a quick flick of the carafe’s dial to ‘clean’, hot water and steam was flushed through its lid. Cleaning the rest of the carafe was as easy as disassembling its parts, rinsing them, and putting them in the dishwasher.
Other dishwasher safe pieces include the drip tray, drip tray grille and coffee grounds container. The machine also completes automatic rinse cycles when turned on and off. Further helpful features include an onscreen alert for when to empty the coffee grounds container, and a red indicator appears from the cup tray when water needs to be emptied.
Customisation with the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Fully Automatic Coffee Machine
With the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Coffee Machine, you can adjust the temperature, aroma and size of your beverage, grind consistency of beans and even coffee dispenser height. For further customisation I used the ‘My’ function and was able to choose the aroma level, amount of coffee brewed, and quantity of milk dispensed for my hot coffee. There’s even the option to set preferences for your perfect takeaway coffee with the ‘To Go’ function. Avoid the ‘fee’ in coffee and enjoy a café quality drink at home.
Better still, if you wake up bleary eyed needing a quick caffeine hit without the fuss, the DeLonghi Eletta Explore can save your chosen beverages under the Favourites menu. Create a profile for yourself and once you’re satisfied with your drink, select the heart icon in your drink’s customisation section and your beverage will be stored under your profile for next time! Some drinks I’d never tried before like the Latte Macchiato and Doppio+ were soon added to my Favourites.
Where to buy the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Fully Automatic Coffee Machine
There was nothing bitter about my experience with the DeLonghi Eletta Explore Coffee Machine. The most complicated part was deciding which beverage to make and the best way to customise it! I personally was amazed by the sheer simplicity, innovative technology, and versatile brilliance of the DeLonghi Eletta Explore.
Want to experience a world of personalised coffee? Check out the DeLonghi Eletta Explore online or visit your local Harvey Norman store where you can chat to the friendly, expert staff. The DeLonghi Eletta Explore Fully Automatic Coffee Machine is truly the coffee machine you’ve bean waiting for!